Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda says the SABC has spent close to a quarter of a billion rands chasing TV licence defaulters, and this is why he is proposing a one percent tax levy on viewers.
The figure was confirmed by Nyanda's spokesman, Tiyani Rikhotso, yesterday.
The broadcaster uses licence inspectors, debt collectors, attorneys and media promotions and advertisements to persuade viewers to pay their licences.
Rikhotso's comments came as the DA slammed Nyanda's Public Service Broadcasting Bill as an attempt by the minister to take control of the SABC. Rikhotso stressed that collecting licence fees was not viable.
"People need to realise that at the moment we have a situation whereby the SABC collects licence fees, but it has been proven over time that this is not a sustainable way of funding a public broadcaster - because people don't pay their television licences.
"The SABC ends up having to spend money trying to recover the money that is due to it.
"At the end of the day, the SABC doesn't even get the money because people don't pay. And the SABC has to pay more money basically running after these people, and paying service providers to run after these people who don't pay. So any reasonable person would agree with me that that is not a sustainable way of funding a public broadcaster," Rikhotso said.
The SABC - which is in the red to the tune of hundreds of millions of rands and was given R200-million by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan - had spent nearly R250m "trying to chase people to pay their television licences".
Rikhotso dismissed media reports that Nyanda had not consulted Gordhan before gazetting the bill as "ill-founded", accusing the media of attempting to drive a wedge between the two ministers.
"We are not naive and complacent that we would overlook the Treasury. We are not at that stage (of talking to the Treasury yet) because the bill is a draft," Rikhotso said.
He said Nyanda wanted to ensure that the SABC, as the only public broadcaster in the country, was financially sound and that it met its mandate to provide quality broadcasting services.
"It's wrong for people to try to perpetuate a notion that we basically want to overlook an important institution like the Treasury. It's simply a discussion document and no decision has been taken yet.
"That is where all the proposals are being made. These are discussions we want the public to participate in. We don't understand what the fuss is about with people who basically want to cast aspersions over our intentions," Rikhotso said.
He said Nyanda could extend the period for public comments, due on December 7, and would continue "exploring" other reliable means to fund the ailing public broadcaster.
The bill says: "The basis and manner of contributions must not exceed one percent of the total income, and annual turnover per annum for persons identified as determined by the minister in consultation with the minster of finance."
The fund would be used to finance community, regional and international broadcasting services and develop local content.
DA spokeswoman on communication, Lindiwe Mazibuko, accused Nyanda of attempting to interfere in the SABC's affairs.